Gwilym Simcock: Good Days At Schloss Elmau

The world of jazz is currently enjoying a surfeit of great piano players, and the ACT label is home to some of the most innovative: musicians such as Michael Wollny of [em], Yaron Herman and Danilo Rea. Gwilym Simcock is the latest addition to the ACT roster with his solo Good Days At Schloss Elmau, a beautifully creative collection of original compositions that further establishes the Welshman as one of the most inventive pianists in jazz.

Simcock trained as a classical pianist, turning to jazz at 15. He is still just 29 years old, but is already a major force on the British scene with awards such as the 2007 Parliamentary Jazz Award for Jazz Musician of the Year. His extensive discography includes two previous albums as leaderPerception (Basho Records, 2007) and Blues Vignette (Basho Records, 2009). An intelligent and thoughtful player, he is already being cited as an influence and mentor by younger musicians such as saxophonist and composer Trish Clowes.

Simcock is not only a talented player, he is also a consistently imaginative composer. His playing and his writing encompass a wide range of styles and approaches: he creates some superbly rhythmic pieces and some beautifully ethereal sounds. The meandering, dreamlike and cinematic "Can We Still Be Friends?" is, perhaps, the epitomé of this latter aspect of Simcock's style. "Plain Song" is delicately sparse, as its title suggests, but Simcock adds lovely cascades of lightly sparkling notes. These cascades reappear on "Elmau Tage," which closes the album; a peaceful and reflective piece which appears to signal the end of the day.

Elsewhere, it's Simcock's command of rhythm that springs forth. "These are the Good Days" shows this side of Simcock's approach right from the start, an immediately accessible tune built around powerfully funky bass riffs. On "Northern Smiles" the rhythm becomes jagged and edgy: Simcock's playing is more percussive and at times extremely hard-hitting. "Wake Up Call" also has an edginess to its rhythm, but Simcock is a little more playful, the complex flurries of notes suggesting that the call is more urgent than the usual morning alarm.

Good Days At Schloss Elmau was recorded, like Rea's A Tribute To Fabrizio De André (ACT, 2010), at the "cultural hideaway" of Schloss Elmau, in the Bavarian Alps. The sound quality is exceptional, registering every nuance of Simcock's playing. In keeping with ACT's fine tradition, the album boasts a strikingly effective cover imagealthough the '50s Matinee Idol photo of Simcock on the inside is oddly anachronistic. But minor quibbles about one photograph don't detract from a simple fact: Good Days At Schloss Elmau is a lovely recording, with many moments of dazzling beauty.

Track Listing: These are the Good Days; Mezzotint; Gripper; Plain Song; Northern Smiles; Can We Still Be Friends?; Wake Up Call; Elmau Tage.

I love jazz because it rewards careful listening. Jazz can be as deep and complicated and deep as classical music, but with a sense of modernity and FUN. It swings!
My parents listened to jazz a little bit

I love jazz because it rewards careful listening. Jazz can be as deep and complicated and deep as classical music, but with a sense of modernity and FUN. It swings!
My parents listened to jazz a little bit. Then in high school I got a crush on my best friend's older brother, who was a huge jazz fan. He turned me on to Miles Davis' Bitches Brew (which was also the first album I ever bought) and the rest is history. I've met many musicians. It's a joy to live in NYC where there is such a vital community and lots of interaction between players and audience.
The best show I ever attended was... God, there have been so many great ones. My absolute favorite might be the John Lurie tribute concert at the Town Hall. Was it 2013 or 2014? I've been a huge Lounge Lizards fan since the '90s, and many of my favorite local musicians are graduates of that band. It was a joy to see so many of them come out and show their love for John Lurie. Even though he doesn't play sax anymore, he is still a presence. There was so much LOVE in that show. And since the Lounge Lizards don't perform anymore, it was a treat to hear their music live again.
My advice to new listeners... JUST KEEP LISTENING. If you're used to repetition and easy hooks of rock or pop music, you might find it challenging at first to float along with the unpredictability of jazz. But the rewards are worth it! You will learn to listen actively, not passively, and as you tune your mind into every note, texture, and harmony, you'll begin to listen to music in a new and different way. At the best live shows, it's almost a meditative experience for me. My mind just trips out on the music. It's pure bliss, even if the music is abrasive or
challenging.
Also, don't be afraid to LISTEN TO ARTIST YOU'VE NEVER HEARS OF BEFORE. The greats like Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington, etc. are famous for a reason. Their music stands the test of time. But there are so many young artist pushing the boundaries and creating their individual style. You might not love every show or album you listen to, but you'll discover so much. Jazz is not a museum piece--it's a living, breathing art form with almost infinite possibilities.
Finally, if you love the music, PARTICIPATE IN THE ECONOMY. Buy some new CDs instead of streaming everything. Go to live shows and pay the ticket price. Even if it's donation only and you can sneak in for free, remember that most of these artists have years of training and have devoted themselves to an obscure art form out of pure love. Playing music is their job. You get paid for your job, and musicians deserve to get paid too.